this application is a 371 of PCT/EP97/06057 filed Nov. 3, 1997.
The present invention relates to novel substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles of the formula I 
where:
R1 is hydrogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl or C1-C4-haloalkylsulfonyl;
R2 is C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-haloalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-haloalkylthio, C1-C4-alkylsulfinyl, C1-C4-haloalkylsulfinyl, C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl or C1-C4-haloalkylsulfonyl;
R3 is hydrogen, cyano, nitro, halogen, C1-C4-alkyl or C1-C4-haloalkyl;
X1, X2, X3, X4 and X5 are each independently of one another a chemical bond or a methylene, ethylene or ethene-1,2-diyl chain or an oxymethylene or thiamethylene chain linked to the phenyl ring via the hetero atom, all chains being unsubstituted or substituted by one or two substituents selected in each case from the group consisting of cyano, halogen, C1-C4-alkyl and (C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl;
R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are each independently of one another hydrogen, nitro, cyano, halogen, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9) (Y2xe2x80x94R10), xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10, xe2x80x94N(SO2xe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9)(SO2xe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10), xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10, xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)(Oxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10), xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)(Y2xe2x80x94R10), xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90NOR11)xe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90NOR11)xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90NOR11)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)(Y2xe2x80x94R10) or xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)(Oxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10), where
Y1and Y2 are each independently of each other a chemical bond or a methylene or ethylene chain which may in each case be unsubstituted or carry one or two C1-C4-alkyl substituents;
R9 and R10 are each independently of each other hydrogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkylthio-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkylthio-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkylsulfonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, (C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, (C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, di-(C1-C4-alkyl)aminocarbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, C3-C8-cycloalkyl which may contain a carbonyl or thiocarbonyl ring member, phenyl or 3- to 7-membered heterocyclyl which may contain a carbonyl or thiocarbonyl ring member, the cycloalkyl, phenyl and heterocyclyl rings being in each case unsubstituted or substituted by one to four substituents selected in each case from the group consisting of cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxyl, carboxyl, halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl, (C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyl, (C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyloxy and (C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl, and R11 is hydrogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C3-C8-cycloalkyl, phenyl or phenyl-C1-C4-alkyl;
and agriculturally or pharmaceutically useful salts of these compounds, but excluding 3-benzyl-1,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole, 3(5)-benzyl-5(3)-methyl-1H-pyrazole, 3(5)-benzyl-5(3)-trifluoromethyl-1H-pyrazole and 3(5)-(2-nitrobenzyl)-5(3)-methyl-1H-pyrazole.
The invention further relates to
the use of the compounds I and salts thereof as herbicides and/or for the desiccation/defoliation of plants,
herbicidal compositions and compositions for the desiccation and/or defoliation of plants which comprise the compounds I or salts thereof as active ingredients,
processes for preparing the compounds I and herbicidal compositions and compositions for the desiccation/defoliation of plants using the compounds I,
methods for controlling undesirable vegetation and for the desiccation/defoliation of plants using the compounds I,
intermediates of the formulae IIa, IIb and IIc, byproducts of the formula III and the salts of these compounds,
the use of the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc, III and salts thereof for preparing pharmaceutical preparations for treating diseases, in particular for lowering the blood sugar level,
pharmaceutical preparations comprising the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III or salts thereof as active substances, and also
processes for preparing the compounds IIa, IIb, IIc and III.
The 3-benzyl pyrazoles which a re excluded in claim 1 are already known from the following literature:
3-benzyl-1,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole from Chem. Heterocycl. Compd. (Engl. Transl.) 20 (1984), 189;
3(5)-benzyl-5(3)-methyl-1H-pyrazole from J. Org. Chem. 36 (1971), 4033;
3(5)-benzyl-5(3)-trifluoromethyl-1H-pyrazole from J. Fluorine Chem. 67 (1994), 83;
3(5)-(2-nitrobenzyl)-5(3)-methyl-1H-pyrazole from Chem. Ber. 61 (1928), 1118.
The 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles and pyrazolones excluded in claim 13 are already known from the following literature:
5(3-chlorobenzyl)-1,2-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one from Bioorg. Med. Chem. 4 (1996), 1401;
5-(2-aminobenzyl)-1,2-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one from J. Heterocycl. Chem. 26 (1989), 71;
1,2-dihydro-5-(2-nitrobenzyl)-3H-pyrazol-3-one from Chem. Ber. 61 (1928), 1118;
the compounds where R4 to R8 are all hydrogen and simultaneously X1 to X5 are all simultaneously a chemical bond for example from Chem. Ber. 66 (1933), 1512 and Bull. Soc. Chim. Fr. 1969, 4159.
Some of the substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles of the formula I arexe2x80x94if the substituents are appropriately chosenxe2x80x94included in the general definition of compounds disclosed
in JP-A 64/13 050 in mixtures with aryloxyalkanoic acids as compositions for controlling plant growth,
in EP-A 468 372 as angiotensin II antagonists,
in EP-A 300 688 as cardiotonic agents,
in WO 96/20146 as nitrification inhibitors,
in WO 96/00218 as phosphodiesterase IV inhibitors,
in WO 96/03378 as ACAT inhibitors,
in WO 91/10140 as angiotensin II antagonist models,
in AU 8 783 175, EP-A 245 825 and AT 389 106 as 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors,
in WO 96/12706 as endothelin receptor antagonists,
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,025 in mixtures with 2 phosphonic acid derivatives as corrosion inhibitors and
in DE-A 39 27 483 as platelet activating factor antagonists.
In addition, some of the compounds of the formula I are included in the very wide definitions of pyrazoles whose preparation is described in DE-A 4 328 228, JP-A 06/345 728, EP-A 628 563, DE-A 3 918 979, DE-A 1 210 431, U.S. Pat. No. 3,254,093, EP-A 020 964, EP-A 045 394, EP-A 088 963 and EP-A 290 991.
Pyrazole intermediates whose general formula includes, if the substituents are chosen appropriately, 3-benzylpyrazoles of the type of the compounds I are mentioned
in EP-A 300 324 for preparing 4-acylpyrazoles,
in EP-A 328 020 as intermediates for catalysts in storage-stable epoxy phenol mixtures,
in EP-A 485 929 and WO 96/04273 for preparing angiotensin II receptor antagonists,
in EP-A 420 397, JP-A 63/166 879 and JP-A 01/085 974 for preparing photochromic data storage media,
in EP-A 087 780 for preparing sulfonylurea herbicides,
in EP-A 535 928 and EP-A 547 825 for preparing fungicides of the strobilurin type,
in WO 91/10 662 and EP-A 522 887 for preparing ACAT and thromboxane TxA inhibitors,
in EP-A 548 949 for preparing prostaglandin I2 receptor antagonists,
in DE-A 4 103 382 for preparing insecticidal cyclopropanecarboxamides,
in WO 95/01979 for preparing heteroazolyl heterocyclylalkane derivatives for treating neuropsychiatric disorders,
in EP-A 99 329 for preparing 1,3-dithiaheterocycles for treating disorders of the liver, of the respiratory tract and of the blood vessels,
in EP-A 230 110 for preparing compounds which are, inter alia, supposed to have a cardiotonic and hypoglycemic action,
in JP-A 01/190 670 and JP-A 63/112 566 for preparing insecticidal pyrimidinones,
in DE-A 3 830 238 and EP-A 192 060 for preparing insecticides of the nitroguanidine type,
in EP-A 363 796 for preparing monoamine oxidase inhibitors and
in EP-A 181 163 for preparing histamine H2 receptor antagonists.
It is an object of the present invention to provide novel herbicidally active compounds which allow better selective control of undesirable plants than known compounds. It is a further object to provide novel compounds which have a desiccant/defoliant action and novel active ingredients in the pharmaceutical sector.
We have found that these objects are achieved by the present substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles of the formula I.
Furthermore, we have found herbicidal compositions which comprise the compounds I and have a very good herbicidal activity. Moreover, we have found processes for preparing these compositions and methods for controlling undesirable vegetation using the compounds I.
Furthermore, we have found that the compounds I are also suitable for the desiccation/defoliation of parts of plants, suitable plants being crop plants such as cotton, potatoes, oilseed rape, sunflower, soybean or field beans, in particular cotton. Thus, we have found compositions for the desiccation and/or defoliation of plants, processes for preparing these compositions and methods for the desiccation and/or defoliation of plants using the compounds I.
In addition to their crop-protection-related activity, the compounds I, their intermediates IIa, IIb and IIc and the byproducts III were found to have a pharmaceutical, in particular blood-sugar-lowering, activity. One aspect of the present invention is therefore also the appropriate pharmaceutical preparations.
Depending on the substitution pattern, the compounds of the formula I can contain one or more chiral centers, in which case they exist in the form of enantiomer or diastereomer mixtures. The invention relates to the pure enantiomers or diastereomers and also to mixtures thereof.
The organic moieties mentioned in the definition of the substituents R1 to R3 and R9 to R11 or as radicals on cycloalkyl, phenyl or heterocyclyl rings or on X1 to X5 are
like the term halogen
collective terms for individual listings of the individual group members. All carbon chains, i.e. all the alkyl, haloalkyl, phenylalkyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylthio, haloalkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, haloalkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, haloalkylsulfonyl, alkenyl, and alkynyl moieties, can be straight-chain or branched. Halogenated substituents preferably have attached to them one to five identical or different halogens. The term halogen represents in each case fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine.
Other examples of meanings are, for example:
C1-C4-alkyl: CH3, C2H5, CH2-C2H5, CH(CH3)2, n-butyl, CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2 or C(CH3)3;
C1-C4-haloalkyl: a C1-C4-alkyl radical as mentioned above which is partially or fully substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, i.e. for example CH2F, CHF2, CF3, CH2Cl, CH(Cl)2, C(Cl)3, chlorofluoromethyl, dichlorofluoromethyl, chlorodifluoromethyl, 2-fluoroethyl, 2-chloroethyl, 2-bromoethyl, 2-iodoethyl, 2,2-difluoroethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, 2-chloro-2-fluoroethyl, 2-chloro-2,2-difluoroethyl, 2,2-dichloro-2-fluoroethyl, 2,2,2-trichloroethyl, C2F5, 2-fluoropropyl, 3-fluoropropyl, 2,2-difluoropropyl, 2,3-difluoropropyl, 2-chloropropyl, 3-chloropropyl, 2,3-dichloropropyl, 2-bromopropyl, 3-bromopropyl, 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl, 3,3,3-trichloropropyl, CH2-C2F5, CF2-C2F5, 1-(CH2F)-2-fluoroethyl, 1-(CH2Cl)-2-chloroethyl, 1-(CH2Br)-2-bromoethyl, 4-fluorobutyl, 4-chlorobutyl, 4-bromobutyl and nonafluorobutyl;
C1-C6-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl as mentioned above, and also, for example, n-pentyl, 1-methylbutyl, 2-methylbutyl, 3-methylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-ethylpropyl, n-hexyl, 1,1-dimethylpropyl, 1,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-methylpentyl, 2-methylpentyl, 3-methylpentyl, 4-methylpentyl, 1,1-dimethylbutyl, 1,2-dimethylbutyl, 1,3-dimethylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylbutyl, 2,3-dimethylbutyl, 3,3-dimethylbutyl, 1-ethylbutyl, 2-ethylbutyl, 1,1,2-trimethylpropyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropyl or 1-ethyl-2-methylpropyl, preferably CH3, C2H5, CH2-C2H5, CH(CH3)2, n-butyl, C(CH3)3, n-pentyl or n-hexyl;
C1-C6-haloalkyl: a C1-C6-alkyl radical as mentioned above which is partially or fully substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, i.e. for example one of the radicals mentioned under C1-C4-haloalkyl, and also 5-fluoro-1-pentyl, 5-chloro-1-pentyl, 5-bromo-1-pentyl, 5-iodo-1-pentyl, 5,5,5-trichloro-1-pentyl, undecafluoropentyl, 6-fluoro-1-hexyl, 6-chloro-1-hexyl, 6-bromo-1-hexyl, 6-iodo-1-hexyl, 6,6,6-trichloro-1-hexyl or dodecafluorohexyl;
phenyl-C1-C4-alkyl: benzyl, 1-phenylethyl, 2-phenylethyl, 1-phenylprop-1-yl, 2-phenylprop-1-yl, 3-phenylprop-1-yl, 1-phenylbut-1-yl, 2-phenylbut-1-yl, 3-phenylbut-1-yl, 4-phenylbut-1-yl, 1-phenylbut-2-yl, 2-phenylbut-2-yl, 3-phenylbut-2-yl, 4-phenylbut-2-yl, 1-benzylmethyleth-1-yl, 1-benzyl-1-methyleth-1-yl or 1-benzylprop-1-yl, preferably benzyl or 2-phenylethyl;
C1-C4-alkoxy: OCH3, OC2H5, OCH2xe2x80x94C2H5, OCH(CH3)2, n-butoxy, OCH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, OCH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2 or C(CH3)3, preferably OCH3, OC2H5 or OCH(CH3)2;
C1-C4-haloalkoxy: a C1-C4-alkoxy radical as mentioned above which is partially or fully substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, i.e. for example OCH2F, OCHF2, OCF3, OCH2Cl, OCH(Cl)2, OC(Cl)3, chlorofluoromethoxy, dichlorofluoromethoxy, chloro-difluoromethoxy, 2-fluoroethoxy, 2-chloroethoxy, 2-bromoethoxy, 2-iodoethoxy, 2,2-difluoroethoxy, 2,2,2-trifluoro-ethoxy, 2-chloro-2-fluoroethoxy, 2-chloro-2,2-difluoroethoxy, 2,2-dichloro-2-fluoroethoxy, 2,2,2-trichloroethoxy, OC2F5, 2-fluoropropoxy, 3-fluoropropoxy, 2,2-difluoropropoxy, 2,3-difluoropropoxy, 2-chloropropoxy, 3-chloropropoxy, 2,3-dichloropropoxy, 2-bromopropoxy, 3-bromopropoxy, 3,3,3-trifluoropropoxy, 3,3,3-trichloropropoxy, OCH2xe2x80x94C2F5, OCF2xe2x80x94C2F5, 1-(CH2F)-2-fluoroethoxy, 1-(CH2Cl)-2-chloroethoxy, 1-(CH2Br)-2-bromoethoxy, 4-fluorobutoxy, 4-chlorobutoxy, 4-bromobutoxy or OCF2xe2x80x94CF2xe2x80x94C2F5, preferably OCHF2, OCF3, dichlorofluoromethoxy, chlorodifluoromethoxy or 2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy;
C1-C4-alkylthio: SCH3, SC2H5, SCH2xe2x80x94C2H5, SCH(CH3)2, n-butylthio, 1-methylpropylthio, 2-methylpropylthio or SC(CH3)3, preferably SCH3 or SC2H5;
C1-C4-haloalkylthio: a C1-C4-alkylthio radical as mentioned above which is partially or fully substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, i.e. for example SCH2F, SCHF2, SCF3, SCH2Cl, SCH(Cl)2, SC(Cl)3, chlorofluoromethylthio, dichlorofluoromethylthio, chlorodifluoromethylthio, 2-fluoroethylthio, 2-chloroethylthio, 2-bromoethylthio, 2-iodoethylthio, 2,2-difluoroethylthio, 2,2,2-trifluoroethylthio, 2-chloro-2-fluoroethylthio, 2-chloro-2,2-difluoroethylthio, 2,2-dichloro-2-fluoroethylthio, 2,2,2-trichloroethylthio, SC2F5, 2-fluoropropylthio, 3-fluoropropylthio, 2,2-difluoropropylthio, 2,3-difluoropropylthio, 2-chloropropylthio, 3-chloropropylthio, 2,3-dichloropropylthio, 2-bromopropylthio, 3-bromopropylthio, 3,3,3-trifluoropropylthio, 3,3,3-trichloropropylthio, SCH2xe2x80x94C2F5, SCF2xe2x80x94C2F5, 1-(CH2F)-2-fluoroethylthio, 1-(CH2Cl)-2-chloro-ethylthio, 1-(CH2Br)-2-bromoethylthio, 4-fluorobutylthio, 4-chlorobutylthio, 4-bromobutylthio or SCF2xe2x80x94CF2xe2x80x94C2F5, preferably SCHF2, SCF3, dichlorofluoromethylthio, chlorodifluoromethylthio or 2,2,2-trifluoroethylthio;
C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl which is substituted by C1-C4-alkoxy as mentioned above, i.e. for example CH2xe2x80x94OCH3, CH2xe2x80x94OC2H5, n-propoxymethyl, CH2xe2x80x94OCH(CH3)2, n-butoxymethyl, (1-methylpropoxy)methyl, (2-methylpropoxy)methyl, CH2xe2x80x94OC(CH3)3, 2-(OCH3)ethyl, 2-(OC2H5)ethyl, 2-(n-propoxy)ethyl, 2-[OCH(CH3)2]ethyl, 2-(n-butoxy)ethyl, 2-(1-methylpropoxy)ethyl, 2-(2-methylpropoxy)ethyl, 2-[OC(CH3)3]ethyl, 2-(OCH3)propyl, 2-(OC2H5)propyl, 2-(n-propoxy)propyl, 2-[OCH(CH3)2]propyl, 2-(n-butoxy)propyl, 2-(1-methylpropoxy)propyl, 2-(2-methylpropoxy)propyl, 2-[OC(CH3)3]propyl, 3-(OCH3)propyl, 3-(OC2H5)propyl, 3-(n-propoxy)propyl, 3-[OCH(CH3)2]propyl, 3-(n-butoxy)propyl, 3-(1-methyl-propoxy)propyl, 3-(2-methylpropoxy)propyl, 3-[OC(CH3)3]propyl, 2-(OCH3)butyl, 2-(OC2H5)butyl, 2-(n-propoxy)butyl, 2-[OCH(CH3)2]butyl, 2-(n-butoxy)butyl, 2-(1-methylpropoxy)butyl, 2-(2-methylpropoxy)butyl, 2-[OC(CH3)3]butyl, 3-(OCH3)butyl, 3-(OC2H5)butyl, 3-(n-propoxy)butyl, 3-[OCH(CH3)2]butyl, 3-(n-butoxy)butyl, 3-(1-methylpropoxy)butyl, 3-(2-methyl-propoxy)butyl, 3-[OC(CH3)3]butyl, 4-(OCH3)butyl, 4-(OC2H5)butyl, 4-(n-propoxy)butyl, 4-[OCH(CH3)2]butyl, 4-(n-butoxy)butyl, 4-(1-methylpropoxy)butyl, 4-(2-methylpropoxy)butyl or 4-[OC(CH3)3]butyl, preferably CH2xe2x80x94OCH3, CH2xe2x80x94OC2H5, 2-methoxyethyl or 2-ethoxyethyl;
C1-C4-haloalkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl which is substituted by C1-C4-haloalkoxy as mentioned above, i.e. for example 2-(OCHF2)ethyl, 2-(OCF3)ethyl or 2-(OC2F5)ethyl;
C1-C4-alkylthio-C1-C4-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl which is substituted by C1-C4-alkylthio as mentioned above, i.e. for example CH2xe2x80x94SCH3, CH2xe2x80x94SC2H5, n-propylthiomethyl, CH2xe2x80x94SCH(CH3)2, n-butylthiomethyl, (1-methylpropylthio)methyl, (2-methylpropylthio)methyl, CH2xe2x80x94SC(CH3)3, 2-(SCH3)ethyl, 2-(SC2H5)ethyl, 2-(n-propylthio)ethyl, 2-(1-methylethylthio)ethyl, 2-(n-butylthio)ethyl, 2-(1-methylpropylthio)ethyl, 2-(2-methylpropylthio)ethyl, 2-(1,1-dimethylethylthio)ethyl, 2-(SCH3)propyl, 2-(SC2H5)propyl, 2-(n-propylthio)propyl, 2-(1-methylethylthio)propyl, 2-(n-butylthio)propyl, 2-(1-methylpropylthio)propyl, 2-(2-methylpropylthio)propyl, 2-(1,1-dimethylethylthio)propyl, 3-(SCH3)-propyl, 3-(SC2H5)propyl, 3-(n-propylthio)propyl, 3-(1-methylethylthio)propyl, 3-(n-butylthio)propyl, 3-(1-methylpropylthio)propyl, 3-(2-methylpropylthio)propyl, 3-(1,1-dimethylethylthio)propyl, 2-(SCH3)butyl, 2-(SC2H5)butyl, 2-(n-propylthio)butyl, 2-(1-methylethylthio)butyl, 2-(n-butylthio)butyl, 2-(1-methylpropylthio)butyl, 2-(2-methylpropylthio)butyl, 2-(1,1-dimethylethylthio)butyl, 3-(SCH3)butyl, 3-(SC2H5)butyl, 3-(n-propylthio)butyl, 3-(1-methylethylthio)butyl, 3-(n-butylthio)butyl, 3-(1-methylpropylthio)butyl, 3-(2-methylpropylthio)butyl, 3-(1,1-dimethylethylthio)butyl, 4-(SCH3)butyl, 4-(SC2H5)butyl, 4-(n-propylthio)butyl, 4-(1-methylethylthio)butyl, 4-(n-butylthio)butyl, 4-(1-methylpropylthio)butyl, 4-(2-methylpropylthio)butyl or 4-(1,1-dimethylethylthio)butyl, preferably CH2xe2x80x94SCH3, CH2xe2x80x94SC2H5, 2-methylthioethyl or 2-ethylthioethyl;
C1-C4-haloalkylthio-C1-C4-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl which is substituted by C1-C4-haloalkylthio as mentioned above, i.e. for example 2-(SCHF2)ethyl, 2-(SCF3)ethyl or 2-(SC2F5)ethyl;
(C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyl: COxe2x80x94CH3, COxe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, n-butylcarbonyl, COxe2x80x94CH(CH3)C2H5, COxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2 or COxe2x80x94C(CH3)3, preferably COxe2x80x94CH3 or COxe2x80x94C2H5;
(C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl which is substituted by (C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyl as mentioned above, i.e. for example CH2COCH3, CH2COC2H5 or CH2COC(CH3)3;
(C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyloxy: Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH3, Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94C2H5, Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2 or Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94C(CH3)3, preferably Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH3 or Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94C2H5;
(C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl: COxe2x80x94OCH3, COxe2x80x94OC2H5, COxe2x80x94OCH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94OCH(CH3)2, n-butoxycarbonyl, COxe2x80x94OCH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94OCH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2 or COxe2x80x94OC(CH3)3, preferably COxe2x80x94OCH3 or COxe2x80x94OC2H5;
(C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl which is substituted by (C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl as mentioned above, i.e. for example CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94OCH3, CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94OC2H5, n-propoxycarbonylmethyl, CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94OCH(CH3)2, n-butoxycarbonylmethyl, CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94OCH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94OCH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94OC(CH3)3, 1-(methoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 1-(ethoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 1-(n-propoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 1-(1-methylethoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 1-(n-butoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 2-(methoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 2-(ethoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 2-(n-propoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 2-(1-methylethoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 2-(n-butoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 2-(1-methylpropoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 2-(2-methylpropoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 2-(1,1-dimethylethoxycarbonyl)ethyl, 2-(methoxycarbonyl)propyl, 2-(ethoxycarbonyl)propyl, 2-(n-propoxycarbonyl)propyl, 2-(1-methylethoxycarbonyl)propyl, 2-(n-butoxycarbonyl)propyl, 2-(1-methylpropoxycarbonyl)propyl, 2-(2-methylpropoxycarbonyl)propyl, 2-(1,1-dimethylethoxycarbonyl)propyl, 3-(methoxycarbonyl)propyl, 3-(ethoxycarbonyl)propyl, 3-(n-propoxycarbonyl)propyl, 3-(1-methylethoxycarbonyl)propyl, 3-(n-butoxycarbonyl)propyl, 3-(1-methylpropoxycarbonyl)propyl, 3-(2-methylpropoxycarbonyl)propyl, 3-(1,1-dimethylethoxycarbonyl)propyl, 2-(methoxycarbonyl)butyl, 2-(ethoxycarbonyl)butyl, 2-(n-propoxycarbonyl)butyl, 2-(1-methylethoxycarbonyl)butyl, 2-(n-butoxycarbonyl)butyl, 2-(1-methylpropoxycarbonyl)butyl, 2-(2-methylpropoxycarbonyl)butyl, 2-(1,1-dimethylethoxycarbonyl)butyl, 3-(methoxycarbonyl)butyl, 3-(ethoxycarbonyl)butyl, 3-(n-propoxycarbonyl)butyl, 3-(1-methylethoxycarbonyl)butyl, 3-(n-butoxycarbonyl)butyl, 3-(1-methylpropoxycarbonyl)butyl, 3-(2-methylpropoxycarbonyl)butyl, 3-(1,1-dimethylethoxycarbonyl)butyl, 4-(methoxycarbonyl)butyl, 4-(ethoxycarbonyl)butyl, 4-(n-propoxycarbonyl)butyl, 4-(1-methylethoxycarbonyl)butyl, 4-(n-butoxycarbonyl)butyl 4-(1-methylpropoxycarbonyl)butyl, 4-(2-methylpropoxycarbonyl)butyl or 4-(1,1-dimethylethoxycarbonyl)butyl, preferably CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94OCH3, CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94OC2H5, 1-(methoxycarbonyl)ethyl or 1-(ethoxycarbonyl)ethyl;
C1-C4-alkylsulfinyl: SOxe2x80x94CH3, SOxe2x80x94C2H5, SOxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, SOxe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, n-butylsulfinyl, SOxe2x80x94CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, SOxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2 or SOxe2x80x94C(CH3)3, preferably SOxe2x80x94CH3 or SOxe2x80x94C2H5;
C1-C4-haloalkylsulfinyl: a C1-C4-alkylsulfinyl radical as mentioned above which is partially or fully substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, i.e. for example SOxe2x80x94CH2F, SOxe2x80x94CHF2, SOxe2x80x94CF3, SOxe2x80x94CH2Cl, SOxe2x80x94CH(Cl)2, SOxe2x80x94C(Cl)3, chlorofluoromethylsulfinyl, dichlorofluoromethylsulfinyl, chlorodifluoromethylsulfinyl, 2-fluoroethylsulfinyl, 2-chloroethylsulfinyl, 2-bromoethylsulfinyl, 2-iodoethylsulfinyl, 2,2-difluoroethylsulfinyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethylsulfinyl, 2-chloro-2-fluoroethylsulfinyl, 2-chloro-2,2-difluoroethylsulfinyl, 2,2-dichloro-2-fluoroethylsulfinyl, 2,2,2-trichloroethylsulfinyl, SOxe2x80x94C2F5, 2-fluoropropylsulfinyl, 3-fluoropropylsulfinyl, 2,2-difluoropropylsulfinyl, 2,3-difluoropropylsulfinyl, 2-chloropropylsulfinyl, 3-chloropropylsulfinyl, 2,3-dichloropropylsulfinyl, 2-bromopropylsulfinyl, 3-bromopropylsulfinyl, 3,3,3-trifluoropropylsulfinyl, 3,3,3-trichloropropylsulfinyl, SOxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2F5, SOxe2x80x94CF2xe2x80x94C2F5, 1-(CH2F)-2-fluoroethylsulfinyl, 1-(CH2Cl)-2-chloroethylsulfinyl, 1-(CH2Br)-2-bromoethylsulfinyl, 4-fluorobutylsulfinyl, 4-chlorobutylsulfinyl, 4-bromobutylsulfinyl or nonafluorobutylsulfinyl, preferably SOxe2x80x94CF3, SOxe2x80x94CH2Cl or 2,2,2-trifluoroethylsulfinyl;
C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl: SO2xe2x80x94CH3, SO2xe2x80x94C2H5, SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, SO2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, n-butylsulfonyl, SO2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2 or SO2xe2x80x94C(CH3)3, preferably SO2xe2x80x94CH3 or SO2xe2x80x94C2H5,
C1-C4-haloalkylsulfonyl: a C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl radical as mentioned above which is partially or fully substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine and/or iodine, i.e. for example SO2xe2x80x94CH2F, SO2xe2x80x94CHF2, SO2xe2x80x94CF3, SO2xe2x80x94CH2Cl, SO2xe2x80x94CH(Cl)2, SO2xe2x80x94C(Cl)3, chlorofluoromethylsulfonyl, dichlorofluoromethylsulfonyl, chlorodifluoromethylsulfonyl, 2-fluoroethylsulfonyl, 2-chloroethylsulfonyl, 2-bromoethylsulfonyl, 2-iodoethylsulfonyl, 2,2-difluoroethylsulfonyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethylsulfonyl, 2-chloro-2-fluoroethylsulfonyl, 2-chloro-2,2-difluoroethylsulfonyl, 2,2-dichloro-2-fluoroethylsulfonyl, 2,2,2-trichloroethylsulfonyl, SO2xe2x80x94C2F5, 2-fluoropropylsulfonyl, 3-fluoropropylsulfonyl, 2,2-difluoropropylsulfonyl, 2,3-difluoropropylsulfonyl, 2-chloropropylsulfonyl, 3-chloropropylsulfonyl, 2,3-dichloropropylsulfonyl, 2-bromopropylsulfonyl, 3-bromopropylsulfonyl, 3,3,3-trifluoropropylsulfonyl, 3,3,3-trichloropropylsulfonyl, SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2F5, SO2xe2x80x94CF2xe2x80x94C2F5, 1-(CH2F)-2-fluoroethylsulfonyl, 1-(CH2Cl)-2-chloroethylsulfonyl, 1-(CH2Br)-2-bromoethyl-sulfonyl, 4-fluorobutylsulfonyl, 4-chlorobutylsulfonyl, 4-bromobutylsulfonyl or nonafluorobutylsulfonyl, preferably SO2xe2x80x94CF3, SO2xe2x80x94CH2Cl or 2,2,2-trifluoroethylsulfonyl;
C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl-C1-C4-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl which is substituted by C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl as mentioned above, i.e. for example CH2SO2xe2x80x94CH3, CH2SO2xe2x80x94C2H5, CH2SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, CH2SO2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, CH2SO2xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, (1-methylpropylsulfonyl)methyl, (2-methylpropylsulfonyl)methyl, CH2SO2xe2x80x94C(CH3)3, CH(CH3)SO2xe2x80x94CH3, CH(CH3)SO2xe2x80x94C2H5, CH2CH2SO2xe2x80x94CH3, CH2CH2SO2xe2x80x94C2H5, CH2CH2SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, CH2CH2SO2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, CH2CH2SO2xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, 2-(1-methylpropylsulfonyl)ethyl, 2-(2-methylpropylsulfonyl)ethyl, CH2CH2SO2xe2x80x94C(CH3)3, 2-(SO2xe2x80x94CH3)propyl, 2-(SO2xe2x80x94C2H5)propyl, 2-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)propyl, 2-[SO2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2]propyl, 2-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)propyl, 2-(1-methylpropylsulfonyl)propyl, 2-(2-methylpropylsulfonyl)propyl, 2-[SO2xe2x80x94C(CH3)3]propyl, 3-(SO2xe2x80x94CH3)propyl, 3-(SO2xe2x80x94C2H5)propyl, 3-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)propyl, 3-[SO2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2]propyl, 3-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)propyl, 3-(1-methylpropylsulfonyl)propyl, 3-(2-methylpropylsulfonyl)propyl, 3-[SO2xe2x80x94C(CH3)3]propyl, 2-(SO2xe2x80x94CH3)butyl, 2-(SO2xe2x80x94C2H5)butyl, 2-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)butyl, 2-[SO2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2]butyl, 2-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)butyl, 2-(1-methylpropylsulfonyl)butyl, 2-(2-methylpropylsulfonyl)butyl, 2-[SO2xe2x80x94C(CH3)3]butyl, 3-(SO2xe2x80x94CH3)butyl, 3-(SO2xe2x80x94C2H5)butyl, 3-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)butyl, 3-[SO2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2]butyl, 3-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)butyl, 3-(1-methylpropylsulfonyl)butyl, 3-(2-methylpropylsulfonyl)butyl, 3-[SO2xe2x80x94C(CH3)3]butyl, 4-(SO2xe2x80x94CH3)butyl, 4-(SO2xe2x80x94C2H5)butyl, 4-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)butyl, 4-[SO2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2]butyl, 4-(SO2xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)butyl, 4-(1-methylpropylsulfonyl)butyl, 4-(2-methylpropylsulfonyl)butyl or 4-[SO2xe2x80x94C(CH3)3]butyl, in particular CH2CH2SO2xe2x80x94CH3 or CH2CH2SO2xe2x80x94C2H5;
C1-C4-haloalkylsulfonyl-C1-C4-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl which is substituted by C1-C4-haloalkylsulfonyl as mentioned above, i.e. for example 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethylsulfonyl)ethyl;
di-(C1-C4-alkyl)aminocarbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl: C1-C4-alkyl which is substituted by di(C1-C4-alkyl)aminocarbonyl, such as COxe2x80x94N(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N(C2H5)2, COxe2x80x94N(CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)2, COxe2x80x94N[CH(CH3)2]2, COxe2x80x94N(CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)2, COxe2x80x94N[CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5]2, COxe2x80x94N[CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2]2, COxe2x80x94N[C(CH3)3]2, COxe2x80x94N(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(CH3)xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(CH3)xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N(CH3)xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(CH3)xe2x80x94CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(CH3)xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N(CH3)xe2x80x94CH(CH3)3, COxe2x80x94N(C2H5)xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(C2H5)xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N(C2H5)xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(C2H5)xe2x80x94CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(C2H5)xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N(C2H5)xe2x80x94C(CH3)3, COxe2x80x94N[CH(CH3)2]xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)xe2x80x94CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(CH2xe2x80x94C2H5)xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N[C(CH3)3]xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N[CH(CH3)2]xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N[CH(CH3)2]xe2x80x94CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N[CH(CH3)2]xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N[C(CH3)3]xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N(n-C4H9)xe2x80x94CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N(n-C4H9)xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N[C(CH3)3]xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94C2H5, COxe2x80x94N[CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5]xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, COxe2x80x94N[C(CH3)3]xe2x80x94CH(CH3)xe2x80x94C2H5 or COxe2x80x94N[C(CH3)3]xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(CH3)2, preferably COxe2x80x94N(CH3)2 or COxe2x80x94N(C2H5), i.e. for example CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(CH3)2, CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(C2H5)2, CH(CH3)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(CH3)2 or CH(CH3)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(C2H5)2;
C2-C6-alkenyl: vinyl, prop-1-en-1-yl, allyl, 1-methylethenyl, 1-buten-1-yl, 1-buten-2-yl, 1-buten-3-yl, 2-buten-1-yl, 1-methylprop-1-en-1yl, 2-methylprop-1-en-1-yl, 1-methylprop-2-en-1-yl, 2-methyl-prop-2-en-1-yl, n-penten-1-yl, n-penten-2-yl, n-penten-3-yl, n-penten-4-yl, 1-methyl-but-1-en-1-yl, 2-methylbut-1-en-1-yl, 3-methylbut-1-en-1-yl, 1-methylbut-2-en-1-yl, 2-methylbut-2-en-1-yl, 3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl, 1-methylbut-3-en-1-yl, 2-methylbut-3-en-1-yl, 3-methylbut-3-en-1-yl, 1,1-dimethylprop-2-en-1-yl, 1,2-dimethylprop-1-en-1-yl, 1,2-dimethylprop-2-en-1-yl, 1-ethylprop-1-en-2-yl, 1-ethylprop-2-en-1-yl, n-hex-1-en-1-yl, n-hex-2-en-1-yl, n-hex-3-en-1-yl, n-hex-4-en-1-yl, n-hex-5-en-1-yl, 1-methylpent-1-en-1-yl, 2-methylpent-1-en-1-yl, 3-methylpent-1-en-1-yl, 4-methylpent-1-en-1-yl, 1-methylpent-2-en-1-yl, 2-methylpent-2-en-1-yl, 3-methylpent-2-en-1-yl, 4-methylpent-2-en-1-yl, 1-methylpent-3-en-1-yl, 2-methylpent-3-en-1-yl, 3-methylpent-3-en-1-yl, 4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl, 1-methylpent-4-en-1-yl, 2-methylpent-4-en-1-yl, 3-methylpent-4-en-1-yl, 4-methylpent-4-en-1-yl, 1,1-dimethylbut-2-en-1-yl, 1,1-dimethylbut-3-en-1-yl, 1,2-dimethylbut-1-en-1-yl, 1,2-dimethylbut-2-en-1-yl, 1,2-dimethylbut-3-en-1-yl, 1,3-dimethylbut-1-en-1-yl, 1,3-dimethylbut-2-en-1-yl, 1,3-dimethylbut-3-en-1-yl, 2,2-dimethylbut-3-en-1-yl, 2,3-dimethylbut-1-en-1-yl, 2,3-dimethylbut-2-en-1-yl, 2,3-dimethylbut-3-en-1-yl, 3,3-dimethylbut-1-en-1-yl, 3,3-dimethylbut-2-en-1-yl, 1-ethylbut-1-en-1-yl, 1-ethylbut-2-en-1-yl, 1-ethylbut-3-en-1-yl, 2-ethylbut-1-en-1-yl, 2-ethylbut-2-en-1-yl, 2-ethylbut-3-en-1-yl, 1,1,2-trimethylprop-2-en-1-yl, 1-ethyl-1-methylprop-2-en-1-yl, 1-ethyl-2-methylprop-1-en-1-yl or 1-ethyl-2-methylprop-2-en-1-yl;
C2-C6-alkynyl: ethynyl and C3-C6-alkynyl, such as prop-1-yn-1-yl, prop-2-yn-1-yl, n-but-1-yn-1-yl, n-but-1-yn-3-yl, n-but-1-yn-4-yl, n-but-2-yn-1-yl, n-pent-1-yn-1-yl, n-pent-1-yn-3-yl, n-pent-1-yn-4-yl, n-pent-1-yn-5-yl, n-pent-2-yn-1-yl, n-pent-2-yn-4-yl, n-pent-2-yn-5-yl, 3-methylbut-1-yn-3-yl, 3-methylbut-1-yn-4-yl, n-hex-1-yn-1-yl, n-hex-1-yn-3-yl, n-hex-1-yn-4-yl, n-hex-1-yn-5-yl, n-hex-1-yn-6-yl, n-hex-2-yn-1-yl, n-hex-2-yn-4-yl, n-hex-2-yn-5-yl, n-hex-2-yn-6-yl, n-hex-3-yn-1-yl, n-hex-3-yn-2-yl, 3-methylpent-1-yn-1-yl, 3-methylpent-1-yn-3-yl, 3-methylpent-1-yn-4-yl, 3-methylpent-1-yn-5-yl, 4-methylpent-1-yn-1-yl, 4-methylpent-2-yn-4-yl or 4-methylpent-2-yn-5-yl, preferably prop-2-yn-1-yl;
C3-C8-cycloalkyl: cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl or cyclooctyl;
C3-C8-cycloalkyl containing a carbonyl or thiocarbonyl ring member: for example cyclobutanon-2-yl, cyclobutanon-3-yl, cyclopentanon-2-yl, cyclopentanon-3-yl, cyclohexanon-2-yl, cyclohexanon-4-yl, cycloheptanon-2-yl, cyclooctanon-2-yl, cyclobutanethion-2-yl, cyclobutanethion-3-yl, cyclopentanethion-2-yl, cyclopentanethion-3-yl, cyclohexanethion-2-yl, cyclohexanethion-4-yl, cycloheptanethion-2-yl or cyclooctanethion-2-yl, preferably cyclopentanon-2-yl or cyclohexanon-2-yl;
3- to 7-membered heterocyclyl is a saturated, partially or fully unsaturated or aromatic heterocycle having one to three hetero atoms selected from a group consisting of
one to three nitrogens,
one or two oxygens and
one or two sulfur atoms.
Examples of saturated heterocycles containing a carbonyl or thiocarbonyl ring member are: oxiranyl, thiiranyl, aziridin-1-yl, aziridin-2-yl, diaziridin-1-yl, diaziridin-3-yl, oxetan-2-yl, oxetan-3-yl, thietan-2-yl, thietan-3-yl, azetidin-1-yl, azetidin-2-yl, azetidin-3-yl, tetrahydrofuran-2-yl, tetrahydrofuran-3-yl, tetrahydrothiophen-2-yl, tetrahydrothiophen-3-yl, pyrrolidin-1-yl, pyrrolidin-2-yl, pyrrolidin-3-yl, 1,3-dioxolan-2-yl, 1,3-dioxolan-4-yl, 1,3-oxathiolan-2-yl, 1,3-oxathiolan-4-yl, 1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl, 1,3-oxazolidin-2-yl, 1,3-oxazolidin-3-yl, 1,3-oxazolidin-4-yl, 1,3-oxazolidin-5-yl, 1,2-oxazolidin-2-yl, 1,2-oxazolidin-3-yl, 1,2-oxazolidin-4-yl, 1,2-oxazolidin-5-yl, 1,3-dithiolan-2-yl, 1,3-dithiolan-4-yl, pyrrolidin-1-yl, pyrrolidin-2-yl, pyrrolidin-5-yl, tetrahydropyrazol-1-yl, tetrahydropyrazol-3-yl, tetrahydropyrazol-4-yl, tetrahydropyran-2-yl, tetrahydropyran-3-yl, tetrahydropyran-4-yl, tetrahydrothiopyran-2-yl, tetrahydrothiopyran-3-yl, tetrahydropyran-4-yl, piperidin-1-yl, piperidin-2-yl, piperidin-3-yl, piperidin-4-yl, 1,3-dioxan-2-yl, 1,3-dioxan-4-yl, 1,3-dioxan-5-yl, 1,4-dioxan-2-yl, 1,3-oxathian-2-yl, 1,3-oxathian-4-yl, 1,3-oxathian-5-yl, 1,3-oxathian-6-yl, 1,4-oxathian-2-yl, 1,4-oxathian-3-yl, morpholin-2-yl, morpholin-3-yl, morpholin-4-yl, hexahydropyridazin-1-yl, hexahydropyridazin-3-yl, hexahydropyridazin-4-yl, hexahydropyrimidin-1-yl, hexahydropyrimidin-2-yl, hexahydropyrimidin-4-yl, hexahydropyrimidin-5-yl, piperazin-1-yl, piperazin-2-yl, piperazin-3-yl, hexahydro-1,3,5-triazin-1-yl, hexahydro-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl, oxepan-2-yl, oxepan-3-yl, oxepan-4-yl, thiepan-2-yl, thiepan-3-yl, thiepan-4-yl, 1,3-dioxepan-2-yl, 1,3-dioxepan-4-yl, 1,3-dioxepan-5-yl, 1,3-dioxepan-6-yl, 1,3-dithiepan-2-yl, 1,3-dithiepan-4-yl, 1,3-dithiepan-5-yl, 1,3-dithiepan-6-yl, 1,4-dioxepan-2-yl, 1,4-dioxepan-7-yl, hexahydroazepin-1-yl, hexahydroazepin-2-yl, hexahydroazepin-3-yl, hexahydroazepin-4-yl, hexahydro-1,3-diazepin-1-yl, hexahydro-1,3-diazepin-2-yl, hexahydro-1,3-diazepin-4-yl, hexahydro-1,4-diazepin-1-yl and hexahydro-1,4-diazepin-2-yl;
Examples of unsaturated heterocycles containing a carbonyl or thiocarbonyl ring member are:
dihydrofuran-2-yl, 1,2-oxazolin-3-yl, 1,2-oxazolin-5-yl, 1,3-oxazolin-2-yl;
Preferred heteroaromatics are the 5- and 6-membered heteroaromatics, i.e. for example:
furyl, such as 2-furyl and 3-furyl, thienyl, such as 2-thienyl and 3-thienyl, pyrrolyl, such as 2-pyrrolyl and 3-pyrrolyl, isoxazolyl, such as 3-isoxazolyl, 4-isoxazolyl and 5-isoxazolyl, isothiazolyl such as 3-isothiazolyl, 4-isothiazolyl and 5-isothiazolyl, pyrazolyl, such as 3-pyrazolyl, 4-pyrazolyl and 5-pyrazolyl, oxazolyl, such as 2-oxazolyl, 4-oxazolyl and 5-oxazolyl, thiazolyl such as 2-thiazolyl, 4-thiazolyl and 5-thiazolyl, imidazolyl, such as 2-imidazolyl and 4-imidazolyl, oxadiazolyl, such as 1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl, 1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl and 1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl, thiadiazolyl, such as 1,2,4-thiadiazol-3-yl, 1,2,4-thiadiazol-5-yl and 1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl, triazolyl, such as 1,2,4-triazol-1-yl, 1,2,4-triazol-3-yl and 1,2,4-triazol-4-yl, pyridinyl, such as 2-pyridinyl, 3-pyridinyl and 4-pyridinyl, pyridazinyl, such as 3-pyridazinyl and 4-pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, such as 2-pyrimidinyl, 4-pyrimidinyl and 5-pyrimidinyl, and furthermore 2-pyrazinyl, 1,3,5-triazin-2-yl and 1,2,4-triazin-3-yl, in particular pyridyl, pyrimidyl, furanyl and thienyl.
Preferred with a view to the use of the substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I as herbicides or desiccants/defoliants are those compounds of the formula I where the substituents have the following meanings, in each case either on their own or in combination:
R1 is C1-C4 alkyl or C1-C4-haloalkyl, in particular methyl, ethyl or C1-C2-haloalkyl, particularly preferably methyl;
R2 is C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy or C1-C4-haloalkoxy, in particular C1-C4-haloalkyl or C1-C4-haloalkoxy, particularly preferably trifluoromethyl or difluoromethoxy; very particular preference is given to difluoromethoxy;
R3 is cyano, nitro, halogen, C1-C4-alkyl or C1-C4-haloalkyl, in particular halogen, particularly preferably chlorine;
X1 and X2 are each a chemical bond;
R4 and R5 are each independently of each other halogen, in particular chlorine or bromine;
two of the groups xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8 are hydrogen which is linked to the phenyl ring by a chemical bond;
in particular, X5 is a chemical bond and R8 is hydrogen and one of the two groups xe2x80x94X3R6 or xe2x80x94X4R7 is hydrogen which is linked to the phenyl ring by a chemical bond;
R9 and R10 are each independently of each other hydrogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkylthio-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkylthio-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkylsulfonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, (C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, (C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, di-(C1-C4-alkyl)aminocarbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, C3-C8-cycloalkyl which may contain a carbonyl or thiocarbonyl ring member, phenyl or 3- to 7-membered heterocyclyl which may contain a carbonyl or thiocarbonyl ring member, the cycloalkyl, phenyl and heterocyclyl rings being in each case unsubstituted or substituted by one or two substituents selected in each case from the group consisting of cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxyl, carboxyl, halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl, (C1-C4-alkyl)-carbonyl, (C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyloxy and (C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl.
Very particular preference is given to the substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles of the formula Ia ({circumflex over (=)} I where R1=methyl; R2=difluoromethoxy; R3, R4 and R5=chlorine; X1, X2, X4 and X5=a chemical bond; R7 and R8=hydrogen), in particular the compounds Ia.1 to Ia.767 listed in Table 1 below:
Furthermore, particular preference is given to the substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles of the formula Ib 
in particular to the compounds Ib.2 to Ib.767, which differ from the corresponding compounds Ia.2 to Ia.767 only in that the respective term in the table is xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R6 and in that X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen.
With regard to a use of the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III in the pharmaceutical sector, the variables preferably have the following meanings, in each case either on their own or in combination:
R1 is hydrogen, C1-C4-alkyl or C1-C4-haloalkyl, in particular hydrogen or methyl;
R2 is C1-C4-haloalkyl or C1-C4-haloalkoxy, in particular difluoromethoxy;
R3 is hydrogen or halogen, in particular hydrogen;
R4 and R5 independently of one another are each halogen, in particular chlorine or bromine;
two of the groups xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8 are hydrogen which is attached to the phenyl ring via a chemical bond;
in particular, X5 is a chemical bond and R8 is hydrogen and one of the two groups xe2x80x94X3R6 or xe2x80x94X4R7 is hydrogen which is attached to the phenyl ring via a chemical bond;
R9 and R10 independently of one another are each hydrogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkylthio-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkylthio-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl-sulfonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, (C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, (C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl, di-(C1-C4-alkyl)aminocarbonyl-C1-C4-alkyl,
are C3-C8-cycloalkyl which may contain a carbonyl or thiocarbonyl ring member, are phenyl or 3- to 7-membered heterocyclyl which may contain a carbonyl or thiocarbonyl ring member, where each cycloalkyl, the phenyl and each heterocyclyl ring may be unsubstituted or may carry one or two substituents, in each case selected from the group consisting of cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxyl, carboxyl, halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkylsulfonyl, (C1-C4-alkyl)-carbonyl, (C1-C4-alkyl)carbonyloxy and (C1-C4-alkoxy)carbonyl;
R12 is C1-C4-haloalkyl, in particular difluoromethyl. among the substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I, particular preference is given to the compounds of the formulae Ia to Id, in particular
to the abovementioned compounds Ia.1 to Ia.767 and Ib.1 to Ib.767;
to the compounds Ic.1 to Ic.767 which differ from the corresponding compounds Ia.1-Ia.767 only in that R3 is hydrogen; 
to the compounds Id.2-Id.767 which differ from the corresponding compounds Ia.1-Ia.767 only in that R3 is hydrogen and the appropriate substituent from Table 1 is xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R6, and X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen: 
Among the 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles IIa and the tautomeric pyrazolones IIb and IIc, particular preference is given to the compounds of the formulae IIaa to IIah, IIba to IIbh and IIca to IIch, in particular
to the compounds IIaa.1 to IIaa.767 ({circumflex over ("Rectsolid")} IIa where R1=methyl; R3, R4 and R5=chlorine; X1, X2, X4 and X5=a chemical bond; R7 and R8=hydrogen) where the group xe2x80x94X3R6 has in each case the meaning given in Table 1, and also their tautomers IIba.1 to IIba.767 and IIca.1 to IIca.767: 
to the compounds IIab.2 to IIab.767 which differ from the corresponding compounds IIaa.2 to IIaa.767 only in that the appropriate meaning in the table denotes xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R6, and X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen, and also their tautomers IIbb.2 to IIbb.767 and IIcb.2 to IIcb.767: 
to the compounds IIac.1 to IIac.767 which differ from the corresponding compounds IIaa.1 to IIaa.767 only in that R3 is hydrogen, and also their tautomers IIbc.1 to IIbc.767 and IIcc.1 to IIcc.767: 
to the compounds IIad.2 to IIad.767 which differ from the corresponding compounds IIaa.2 to IIaa.767 only in that R3 is hydrogen and the appropriate substituent from Table 1 denotes xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R6, and X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen, and also their tautomers IIbd.2 to IIbd.767 and IIcd.1 to IIcd.767: 
to the compounds IIae.1 to IIae.767 which differ from the corresponding compounds IIaa.1 to IIaa.767 only in that R1 is hydrogen, and also their tautomers IIbe.1 to IIbe.767 and IIce.1 to IIce.767: 
to the compounds IIaf.2 to IIaf.767 which differ from the corresponding compounds IIaa.2 to IIaa.767 only in that R1 is hydrogen and the appropriate substituent from Table 1 denotes xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R6, and X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen, and also their tautomers IIbf.2 to IIbf.767 and IIcf.2 to IIcf.767: 
to the compounds IIag.1 to IIag.767 which differ from the corresponding compounds IIaa.1 to IIaa.767 only in that R1and R3 are hydrogen, and also their tautomers IIbg.1 to IIbg.767 and IIcg.1 to IIcg.767: 
to the compounds IIah.2 to IIah.767 which differ from the corresponding compounds IIaa.2 to IIaa.767 only in that R1 and R3 are hydrogen and the appropriate substituent from Table 1 denotes xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R6, and X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen, and also their tautomers IIbh.2 to IIbh.767 and IIch.2 to IIch.767: 
Among the pyrazolone byproducts III, particular preference is given to the compounds of the formulae IIIa to IIIh, in particular
to the compounds IIIa.1 to IIIa.767 ({circumflex over ("Rectsolid")} III where R1=methyl; R3, R4 and R5=chlorine; X1, X2, X4 and X5=a chemical bond; R7 and R8=hydrogen; R12=difluoromethyl) where the group xe2x80x94X3R6 has in each case the meaning given in Table 1: 
to the compounds IIIb.2 to IIIb.767, which differ from the corresponding compounds IIIa.2 to IIIa.767 only in that the appropriate meaning in the table denotes xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R6, and X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen: 
to the compounds IIIc.1 to IIIc.767, which differ from the corresponding compounds IIIa.1 to IIIa.767 only in that R3 is hydrogen: 
to the compounds IIId.2 to IIId.767, which differ from the corresponding compounds IIIa.2 to IIIa.767 only in that R3 is hydrogen and the appropriate substituent from Table 1 denotes xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R6, and X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen: 
to the compounds IIIe.1 to IIIe.767, which differ from the corresponding compounds IIIa.1 to IIIa.767 only in that R1 is hydrogen: 
to the compounds IIIf.2 to IIIf.767, which differ from the corresponding compounds IIIa.2 to IIIa.767 only in that R1 is hydrogen and the appropriate substituent from Table 1 denotes xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R6, and X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen: 
to the compounds IIIg.1 to IIIg.767, which differ from the corresponding compounds IIIa.1 to IIIa.767 only in that R1 and R3 are hydrogen: 
to the compounds IIIh.2 to IIIh.767, which differ from the corresponding compounds IIId.2 to IIId.767 only in that R1 and R3 are hydrogen and the appropriate substituent from Table 1 denotes xe2x80x94X4R7 instead of xe2x80x94X3R61 and X3 is a chemical bond and R6 is hydrogen: 
The substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles of the formula I can be obtained in a variety of ways, in particular according to one of the following processes:
A) Halogenation of substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I where R3 is hydrogen to give the corresponding compounds I where R3 is halogen: 
Suitable halogenating agents are, for example, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, diethylaminosulfur trifluoride (DAST), N-chlorosuccinimide, N-bromosuccinimide, sulfuryl chloride, thionyl chloride, phosgene, phosphorus trichloride, phosphorus oxychloride, phosphorus tribromide and phosphorus oxybromide.
The reaction is usually carried out in an inert solvent/diluent, for example in a hydrocarbon, such as n-hexane and toluene, a halogenated hydrocarbon, such as dichloromethane, an ether, such as diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane, an alcohol, such as methanol and ethanol, a low carboxylic acid, such as acetic acid, or in an aprotic solvent, such as acetonitrile.
The reaction temperature is usually between the melting point and the boiling point of the reaction mixture, preferably from 0 to 100xc2x0 C.
To obtain as high a yield of the product of value as possible, the halogenating agent is used in about equimolar amounts or in an excess up to about five times the molar amount, based on the amount of starting material I (R3=H).
In the same manner, it is also possible to prepare the 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles IIa and the pyrazolones IIb, IIc and III where R3=halogen.
B) Reaction of a 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazole of the formula IIa or a pyrazolone tautomer IIb or IIc thereof with an alkylating agent L1xe2x80x94R12 in the presence of a base: 
R12 is C1-C4-alkyl or C1-C4-haloalkyl;
L1 is a customary leaving group such as halide, methanesulfonate, toluenesulfonate (tosylate), trifluoromethanesulfonate (triflate) or Oxe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94R12.
The reaction is usually carried out in an inert solvent/diluent, for example in a hydrocarbon, such as n-hexane and toluene, a halogenated hydrocarbon, such as dichloromethane, an ether, such as diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane, or in an aprotic solvent, such as acetonitrile, dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide.
Suitable bases are inorganic bases, for example alkali metal carbonates or alkaline earth metal carbonates, such as sodium carbonate, alkali metal hydroxides or alkaline earth metal hydroxides, such as sodium hydroxide, alkali metal hydrides, such as sodium hydride, and organic bases, for example tertiary amines, such as triethylamine and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU).
The reaction temperature is usually between the melting point and the boiling point of the reaction mixture, preferably from 0 to 100xc2x0 C.
In general, about equimolar amounts of base and alkylating agent are used, based on the amount of II. However, to obtain as high a yield of the product of value as possible, it may be advantageous to use an excess of base and/or alkylating agent of up to about five times the molar amount, based on the amount of II.
The process products I and III can be separated in a customary manner, for example by distillation, extraction, crystallization or chromatography.
The 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles/pyrazolones II required as starting materials can preferably be synthesized in three steps from phenylacetyl chlorides V which are known or which can be prepared by known processes: 
For this purpose, V is initially reacted with Meldrum""s acid or a Meldrum""s acid derivative (VI) in the presence of a base. Solvent/diluent and reaction temperature are as mentioned above for the reaction II+L1xe2x80x94R12.
The base may be inorganic, for example an alkali metal hydroxide or alkaline earth metal hydroxide, such as sodium hydroxide, an alkali metal carbonate or alkaline earth metal carbonate, such as sodium carbonate, an alkali metal bicarbonate or alkaline earth metal bicarbonate, such as sodium bicarbonate, or organic, for example a tertiary amine, such as triethylamine and pyridine.
To obtain as high a yield of the product of value as possible, Meldrum""s acid or its derivative (VI) is employed in an about equimolar amount or in an excess of up to about five times the molar amount, based on the amount of V.
The phenylacetyl Meldrum""s acid formed is then reacted with an alcohol of the formula Hxe2x80x94R13 where R13 is C1-C4-alkoxy to give a phenylacetoacetic acid derivative IV, the alcohol being preferably used as solvent.
The reaction temperature is usually between the melting point and the boiling point of the reaction mixture, preferably from 0 to 100xc2x0 C.
The compounds IV or VII (R14=halogen, hydroxyl, C1-C4-alkyl or C1-C4-haloalkyl) are finally reacted with a hydrazine (derivative) of the formula H2Nxe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94R1: 
Again, the reaction is usually carried out in an inert solvent/diluent, for example in a hydrocarbon, such as n-hexane and toluene, a halogenated hydrocarbon, such as dichloromethane, an ether, such as diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether and dioxane, an alcohol, such as methanol and ethanol, a lower carboxylic acid, such as acetic acid, or in an aprotic solvent, such as acetonitrile, dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide.
The reaction temperature is usually between the melting point and the boiling point of the reaction mixture, preferably from 0 to 100xc2x0 C.
In general, an about equimolar amount or an excess of up to about five times the molar amount of the hydrazine (derivative) is employed, based on the amount of IV or VII.
C) Reaction of a phenylacetyl halide hydrazonide VIII with an alkyne IX in the presence of a base: 
The base may be inorganic, for example an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, such as sodium hydroxide, an alkali metal carbonate or alkaline earth metal carbonate, such as sodium carbonate, an alkali metal bicarbonate or alkaline earth metal bicarbonate, such as sodium bicarbonate, or organic, for example a tertiary amine, such as triethylamine, 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) and pyridine.
Solvents/diluents and reaction temperature are as mentioned above for the reaction of II with L1xe2x80x94R12 (process B)).
In general, about equimolar amounts of alkyne and base are used, based on the amount of VIII. However, to obtain as high a yield of the product of value as possible it may be advantageous to use an excess of alkyne and/or base of up to about five times the molar amount, based on the amount of VIII.
D) Reactions on the phenyl ring
D.1) Nitration of substituted benzylpyrazoles I where at least one of the radicals xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8 is hydrogen and conversion of the products into further compounds of the formula I: 
Suitable nitrating agents are, for example, nitric acid in various concentrations, including concentrated and fuming nitric acid, mixtures of sulfuric acid and nitric acid, acetyl nitrates and alkyl nitrates.
The reaction can be carried out either without using a solvent in an excess of the nitrating agent, or in an inert solvent or diluent, suitable solvents or diluents being, for example, water, mineral acids, organic acids, halogenated hydrocarbons such as methylene chloride, anhydrides such as acetic anhydride as well as mixtures of these.
Starting material I {xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R5=H} and nitrating agent are advantageously employed in about equimolar amounts; however, to optimize the conversion of the starting material it may be advantageous to use an excess of nitrating agent, up to about 10 times the molar amount. When the reaction is carried out without a solvent in the nitrating agent the latter is present in an even greater excess.
The reaction temperature is usually from (xe2x88x92100) to 200xc2x0 C., preferably from (xe2x80x9430) to 50xc2x0 C.
In the same manner, it is also possible to prepare the 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles IIa and the pyrazolones IIb, IIc and III where xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8 [lacuna].
The products I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III of this process, having at least one nitro group on the phenyl ring can then be reduced to the corresponding compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III having at least one amino group: 
The reduction can be carried out using a metal such as iron, zinc or tin under acid reaction conditions or using a complex hydride, such as lithium aluminum hydride and sodium borohydride, suitable solvents beingxe2x80x94depending on the reducing agent chosen
for example water, alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol and isopropanol, or ethers, such as diethyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether, dioxane, tetrahydrofuran and ethylene glycol dimethyl ether.
If the reduction is carried out using a metal, the reaction is preferably carried out without a solvent in an inorganic acid, in particular in concentrated or dilute hydrochloric acid, or in an organic acid such as acetic acid. However, it is also possible to add an inert solvent, for example one of the solvents mentioned above, to the acid.
Advantageously, the starting material I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III {xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=NO2} and the reducing agent are used in about equimolar amounts; however, to optimize the reaction it may be advantageous to use an excess of reducing agent, up to about 10 times the molar amount.
The amount of acid is not critical. To ensure as complete a reduction of the starting material I, IIa, Ilb, IIc or III {xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=NO2} as possible, it is advantageous to use at least an equivalent amount of acid.
The reaction temperature is usually from (xe2x80x9430) to 200xc2x0 C., preferably from 0 to 80xc2x0 C.
For work-up, the reaction mixture is usually diluted with water and the product is isolated by filtration, crystallization or extraction with a substantially water-immiscible solvent, for example ethyl acetate, diethyl ether or methylene chloride. If desired, the product can then be purified in a conventional manner.
The nitro group of the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III {xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=NO2} can also be hydrogenated catalytically using hydrogen. Catalysts suitable for this purpose are, for example, Raney nickel, palladium on activated carbon, palladium oxide, platinum and platinum oxide, an amount of catalyst of from 0.05 to 10.0 mol %, based on the compound to be reduced, generally being sufficient.
The reaction is carried out without a solvent or in an inert solvent or diluent, for example in acetic acid, a mixture of acetic acid and water, ethyl acetate, ethanol or toluene.
After the removal of the catalyst, the reaction solution can be worked up in a conventional manner to afford the product.
The hydrogenation can be carried out under atmospheric pressure or under elevated pressure.
The amino group can then be diazotized in a conventional manner. The diazonium salts then give access to the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=
cyano or halogen {for the Sandmeyer reaction, cf. for example Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart, Vol. 5/4, 4th Edition, 1960, p. 438ff.},
hydroxyl {for generating phenols by heating diazonium salts, cf. for example Org. Synth. Coll. Vol. 3 (1955), p. 130},
mercapto or C1-C6-alkylthio {cf. for example Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart, Vol. E11 1984, p. 43 and 176},
halosulfonyl {cf. for example Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart, Vol.
E11 1984, p. 1069f.},
for example xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94CH(halogen)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90C(halogen)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9{ these are generally products of a Meerwein arylation; cf. for example C. S. Rondestredt, Org. React. 11 (1960), 189 and H. P. Doyle et al., J. Org. Chem. 42 (1977), 2431}.
The diazonium salt is generally obtained in a manner known per se by reacting I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III {xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8} =amino in an aqueous solution of acid, for example in hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid or sulfuric acid with a nitrite such as sodium nitrite and potassium nitrite.
Alternatively, it is possible to carry out the reaction in the absence of water, for example in glacial acetic acid containing hydrogen chloride, in absolute alcohol. in dioxane or tetrahydrofuran, in acetonitrile or in acetone, treating the starting material I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III {xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=NH2} with a nitrite such as tert-butyl nitrite and isopentyl nitrite.
The conversion of the diazonium salt obtained in this manner into the corresponding compound I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=cyano, chlorine, bromine or iodine is particularly preferably carried out by treatment with a solution or suspension of a copper(I) salt such as copper(I) cyanide, chloride, bromide and iodide, or with a solution of an alkali metal salt.
The conversion of the diazonium salt obtained in this manner into the corresponding compound I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=hydroxyl is advantageously carried out by treatment with an aqueous acid, preferably sulfuric acid. The addition of a copper(II) salt such as copper(II) sulfate can have a positive effect on the course of the reaction.
The reaction is generally carried out at from 0 to 100xc2x0 C., preferably at the boiling point of the reaction mixture.
Compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=mercapto, C1-C6-alkylthio or halosulfonyl are usually obtained by reacting the particular diazonium salt with hydrogen sulfide, an alkali metal sulfide, a dialkyl disulfide such as dimethyl disulfide, or with sulfur dioxide.
The Meerwein arylation usually entails reacting the diazonium salts with alkenes or alkynes. The alkene or alkyne is preferably employed in an excess of up to about 3000 mol %, based on the amount of the diazonium salt.
The above-described reactions of the diazonium salt can be carried out for example in water, in aqueous hydrochloric acid or hydrobromic acid, in a ketone, such as acetone, diethyl ketone and methyl ethyl ketone, in a nitrile, such as acetonitrile, in an ether, such as dioxane and tetrahydrofuran, or in an alcohol, such as methanol and ethanol.
Unless stated otherwise for the individual reactions, the reaction temperatures are usually from (xe2x88x9230) to +50xc2x0 C.
All reaction partners are preferably employed in approximately stoichiometric amounts, but an excess of one or the other component of up to about 3000 mol % may be advantageous.
The compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=mercapto can also be obtained by reducing corresponding compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=halosulfonyl:
Suitable reducing agents are, for example, transition metals such as iron, zinc and tin (cf. for example xe2x80x9cThe Chemistry of the Thiol Groupxe2x80x9d, John Wiley, 1974, p. 216).
D.2) Halosulfonation of substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I where xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8 is hydrogen: 
The halosulfonation can be carried out in the absence of a solvent in an excess of sulfonating agent, or in an inert solvent/diluent, for example in a halogenated hydrocarbon, an ether, an alkylnitrile or a mineral acid.
Chlorosulfonic acid is the preferred agent as well as the preferred solvent.
The amount of sulfonating agent used is usually slightly less (up to about 95 mol %) or an excess of 1 to 5 times the molar amount of the starting material I (where xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=H). In the absence of an inert solvent, it may be advantageous to employ an even larger excess. The reaction temperature is usually from 0xc2x0 C. to the boiling point of the reaction mixture.
For work-up, the reaction mixture is mixed for example with water, whereupon the product can be isolated as usual.
In the same manner, it is also possible to prepare the 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles IIa and the pyrazolones IIb, IIc and III where xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=xe2x80x94SO2-halogen.
D.3) Halogenation of substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I where xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8 is methyl, and conversion of the products into further compounds of the formula I: 
Examples of suitable solvents include organic acids, inorganic acids, aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons which may be halogenated, and also ethers, sulfides, sulfoxides and sulfones.
Suitable halogenating agents are, for example, chlorine, bromine, n-bromosuccinimide, n-chlorosuccinimide or sulfuryl chloride. Depending on the starting material and the halogenating agent used, the addition of a free-radical initiator, for example an organic peroxide such as dibenzoyl peroxide or an azo compound such as azotoisobutyronitrile, or irradiation with light, may have an advantageous effect on the course of the reaction.
The amount of halogenating agent is not critical. Both substoichiometric amounts and large excesses of halogenating agent, based on the compound I to be halogenated (where xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=methyl), are possible.
When using a free-radical initiator, a catalytic amount is usually sufficient.
The reaction temperature is usually from (xe2x88x92100) to 200xc2x0 C., mainly from 10 to 100xc2x0 C. or the boiling point of the reaction mixture.
In the same manner, it is also possible to prepare the 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles IIa and the pyrazolones IIb, IIc and III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=xe2x80x94CH2-halogen or xe2x80x94CH(halogen)2.
By nucleophilic substitution, those halogenation products I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=xe2x80x94CH2-halogen can be converted into their corresponding ethers, thioethers, esters, amines or hydroxylamines: 
The nucleophile used is either a suitable alcohol, thiol, carboxylic acid or amine, the reaction in this case being preferably carried out in the presence of a base (for example an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide or an alkali metal carbonate or alkaline earth metal carbonate), or the alkali metal salts of these compounds obtained by reaction of the alcohol, thiol, carboxylic acid or amine with a base (for example an alkali metal hydride).
Particularly suitable solvents are aprotic organic solvents, for example tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide, or hydrocarbons, such as toluene and n-hexane.
The reaction is carried out at a temperature from the melting point to the boiling point of the reaction mixture, preferably at from 0 to 100xc2x0 C.
Those halogenation products I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=xe2x80x94CH(halogen)2 can be hydrolyzed to the corresponding aldehydes (I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=CHO). The latter can in turn be oxidized to the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=COOH: 
The hydrolysis of the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 oder xe2x80x94X5R8=dihalomethyl is preferably carried out under acidic condition, in particular in the absence of a solvent in hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid or sulfuric acid, or in an aqueous solution of one of the acids mentioned, for example in a mixture of acetic acid and water (for example 3:1).
The reaction temperature is usually at from 0 to 120xc2x0 C.
The oxidation of the hydrolysis products I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=formyl to the corresponding carboxylic acids can be carried out in a manner known per se, for example according to Kornblum (cf. in particular pages 179 to 181 of the volume xe2x80x9cMethods for the Oxidation of Organic Compoundsxe2x80x9d of A. H. Haines, Academic Press 1988, in the series xe2x80x9cBest Synthetic Methodsxe2x80x9d).
A suitable solvent is for example dimethyl sulfoxide.
The compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=formyl can also be olefinized in a manner known per se into compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III with in each case X1, X2, X3, X4 or X5=unsubstituted or substituted ethene-1,2-diyl: 
The olefination is preferably carried out by the method of Wittig or one of its modifications, suitable reaction partners being phosphorus ylides, phosphonium salts and phosphonates, or by Aldol condensation.
If a phosphonium salt or a phosphonate is used, it is advantageous to carry out the reaction in the presence of a base, particularly suitable bases being alkali metal alkyls, such as n-butyllithium, alkali metal hydrides and alkoxides, such as sodium hydride, sodium ethoxide and potassium tert-butoxide, and alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, such as calcium hydroxide.
For a complete conversion, all reaction partners are employed in a ratio which is about stoichiometric; however, preference is given to using an excess of the phosphorus compound and/or base of up to about 10 mol %, based on the starting material (I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=formyl).
The reaction temperature is generally from (xe2x88x9240) to 150xc2x0 C.
The substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I, the 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles IIa and the pyrazolones Ilb, IIc and III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=formyl can be converted into the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9 in a manner known per se, for example by reaction with a suitable organometal compound Mexe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9xe2x80x94
where Me is preferably lithium or magnesium
and subsequent oxidation of the alcohols obtained in this reaction (cf. for example J. March, Advanced Organic Chemistry, 3rd ed., John Wiley, New York 1985, p. 816ff. and 1057ff.).
The compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9 can in turn be reacted further in a Wittig reaction.
The phosphonium salts, phosphonates or phosphorus ylides required as reaction partner which are not already known can be prepared in a conventional manner {cf. for example Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Vol. E1, p. 636ff. and Vol. E2, p. 345ff., Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart 1982; Chem. Ber. 95 (1962) 3993}.
Further possible ways to prepare other substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III from compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=formyl include the known Aldol condensation and Knoevenagel or Perkin condensation reactions. Suitable reaction conditions for these methods are described for example in Nielson, Org. React. 16 (1968), 1ff {Aldol condensation} Org. React. 15 (1967), 204ff. {Knoevenagel condensation} and Johnson, Org. React. 1 (1942), 210ff. {Perkin condensation}.
In general, the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III where in each case xe2x80x94X1R4, xe2x80x94X2R5, xe2x80x94X3R6, xe2x80x94X4R7 or xe2x80x94X5R8=xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9 can also be converted into their corresponding oximes in a manner known per se {cf. for example Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart, Vol. 10/4, 4th edition, 1968, p. 55ff. and p. 73ff.}: 
D.4) Synthesis of ethers, thioethers, amines, esters, amides, sulfonamides, thioesters and hydroxamic esters:
Substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8 is hydroxyl, amino, xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, hydroxylamino, xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)xe2x80x94OH, xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, mercapto, halosulfonyl, xe2x80x94C(=NOH)xe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9 or carboxyl can be converted in a manner known per se by alkylation, acylation, sulfonation, esterification or amidation into the corresponding ethers {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9}, esters {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9}, amines {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)(Y2xe2x80x94R1)}, amides {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10}, sulfonamides {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10 or xe2x80x94N(SO2xe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9)(SO2xe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10)}, hydroxylamines {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)(Oxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10)}, thioethers {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9}, sulfonic acid derivatives {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9 or xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)(Y2xe2x80x94R10)}, oximes {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94C(=NOR11)xe2x80x94Yexe2x80x94R9} or carboxylic acid derivatives {I where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8=xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94R9, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9)(Y2xe2x80x94R10), xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(Y1xe2x80x94R9) (Oxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94R10)}.
Such conversions are described, for example, in Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart (Vol. E16d, p. 1241ff.; Vol. 6/1a, 4th edition, 1980, p. 262ff.; Vol. 8, 4th edition, 1952, p. 471ff., 516ff., 655ff. and p. 686ff.; Vol. 6/3, 4th edition, 1965, p. 10ff.; Vol. 9, 4th edition, 1955, p. 103ff., 227ff., 343ff., 530ff., 659ff., 745ff. and p. 753ff.; Vol. E5, p. 934ff., 941ff. and p. 1148ff.).
In the same manner, it is also possible to prepare the 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles IIa and the pyrazolones IIb, IIc and III where R4, R5, R6, R7 or R8 in each case have the abovementioned meanings.
If not stated otherwise, all the processes described above are advantageously carried out under atmospheric pressure or under the autogenous pressure of the reaction mixture in question.
The work-up of the reaction mixtures is usually carried out in a conventional manner. Unless stated otherwise in the processes described above, the products of value are obtained, for example, after the dilution of the reaction solution with water by filtration, crystallization or solvent extraction, or by removing the solvent, partitioning the residue in a mixture of water and a suitable organic solvent and work-up of the organic phase to afford the product.
Both the substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I and the 3-benzyl-5-hydroxypyrazoles IIa and also the pyrazolones IIb, Ic and III can be obtained as isomer mixtures in the preparation; however, if desired, these can be separated into largely pure isomers using customary methods such as crystallization or chromatography, including chromatography over an optically active adsorbent. Pure optically active isomers can be prepared advantageously from suitable optically active starting materials.
Agriculturally useful salts of the compounds I or physiologically acceptable salts of the compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III can be formed by reaction with a base of the corresponding cation, preferably an alkali metal hydroxide or hydride, or by reaction with an acid of the corresponding anion, preferably of hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid or nitric acid.
Salts of I, IIa, IIb, IIc or III where the metal ion is not an alkali metal ion can be prepared by cation exchange of the corresponding alkali metal salt in a conventional manner, similarly ammonium, phosphonium, sulfonium and sulfoxonium salts by means of ammonia, phosphonium, sulfonium or sulfoxonium hydroxides.
The compounds I and their agriculturally useful salts are suitable, both in the form of isomer mixtures and in the form of the pure isomers, as herbicides. The herbicidal compositions comprising I control vegetation on non-crop areas very efficiently, especially at high rates of application. They act against broad-leaved weeds and grass weeds in crops such as wheat, rice, maize, soya and cotton without causing any significant damage to the crop plants. This effect is mainly observed at low rates of application.
Depending on the application method in question, the compounds I, or herbicidal compositions comprising them, can additionally be employed in a further number of crop plants for eliminating undesirable plants. Examples of suitable crops are the following: Allium cepa, Ananas comosus, Arachis hypogaea, Asparagus officinalis, Beta vulgaris spec. altissima, Beta vulgaris spec. rapa, Brassica napus var. napus, Brassica napus var. napobrassica, Brassica rapa var. silvestris, Camellia sinensis, Carthamus tinctorius, Carya illinoinensis, Citrus limon, Citrus sinensis, Coffea arabica (Coffea canephora, Coffea liberica), Cucumis sativus, Cynodon dactylon, Daucus carota, Elaeis guineensis, Fragaria vesca, Glycine max, Gossypium hirsutum, (Gossypium arboreum, Gossypium herbaceum, Gossypium vitifolium), Helianthus annuus, Hevea brasiliensis, Hordeum vulgare, Humulus lupulus, Ipomoea batatas, Juglans regia, Lens culinaris, Linum usitatissimum, Lycopersicon lycopersicum, Malus spec., Manihot esculenta, Medicago sativa, Musa spec., Nicotiana tabacum (N.rustica), Olea europaea, Oryza sativa , Phaseolus lunatus, Phaseolus vulgaris, Picea abies, Pinus spec., Pisum sativum, Prunus avium, Prunus persica, Pyrus communis, Ribes sylvestre, Ricinus communis, Saccharum officinarum, Secale cereale, Solanum tuberosum, Sorghum bicolor (s. vulgare), Theobroma cacao, Trifolium pratense, Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum, Vicia faba, Vitis vinifera and Zea mays. 
In addition, the compounds I may also be used in crops which tolerate the action of herbicides owing to breeding, including genetic engineering methods.
Moreover, the substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I are also suitable for the desiccation and/or defoliation of plants.
As desiccants, they are suitable, in particular, for desiccating the aerial parts of crop plants such as potatoes, oilseed rape, sunflowers and soybeans. This allows completely mechanical harvesting of these important crop plants.
Also of economic interest is to facilitate harvesting, which is made possible by concentrating, over a period of time, dehiscence, or reducing the adherence to the tree, in citrus fruit, olives or other species and varieties of pomaceous fruit, stone fruit and nuts. The same mechanism, ie. promotion of the formation of abscission tissue between fruit or leaf and shoot of the plants, is also important for readily controllable defoliation of useful plants, in particular cotton.
Moreover, shortening the period within which the individual cotton plants mature results in improved fiber quality after harvesting.
The compounds I, or the compositions comprising them, can be used for example in the form of ready-to-spray aqueous solutions, powders, suspensions, also highly-concentrated aqueous, oily or other suspensions or dispersions, emulsions, oil dispersions, pastes, dusts, materials for spreading, or granules, by means of spraying, atomizing, dusting, spreading or pouring. The use forms depend on the intended aims; in any case, they should guarantee the finest possible distribution of the active ingredients according to the invention.
Suitable inert auxiliaries are essentially: mineral oil fractions of medium to high boiling point, such as kerosene and diesel oil, furthermore coal tar oils and oils of vegetable or animal origin, aliphatic, cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons, eg. paraffins, tetrahydronaphthalene, alkylated naphthalenes and their derivatives, alkylated benzenes and their derivatives, alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol and cyclohexanol, ketones such as cyclohexanone, strongly polar solvents, eg. amines such as N-methylpyrrolidone, and water.
Aqueous use forms can be prepared from emulsion concentrates, suspensions, pastes, wettable powders or water-dispersible granules by adding water. To prepare emulsions, pastes or oil dispersions, the substances, either as such or dissolved in an oil or solvent, can be homogenized in water by means of a wetting agent, tackifier, dispersant or emulsifier. Alternatively, it is possible to prepare concentrates comprising active ingredient, wetting agent, tackifier, dispersant or emulsifier and, if desired, solvent or oil, which are suitable for dilution with water.
Suitable surfactants are the alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts and ammonium salts of aromatic sulfonic acids, eg. ligno-, phenol-, naphthalene- and dibutylnaphthalenesulfonic acid, and of fatty acids, alkyl- and alkylarylsulfonates, alkyl sulfates, lauryl ether sulfates and fatty alcohol sulfates, and salts of sulfated hexa-, hepta- and octadecanols, and also of fatty alcohol glycol ethers, condensates of sulfonated naphthalene and its derivatives with formaldehyde, condensates of naphthalene, or of the naphthalenesulfonic acids with phenol and formaldehyde, polyoxyethylene octylphenol ether, ethoxylated isooctyl-, octyl- or nonylphenol, alkylphenyl or tributylphenyl polyglycol ether, alkylaryl polyether alcohols, isotridecyl alcohol, fatty alcohol/ethylene oxide condensates, ethoxylated castor oil, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers or polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, lauryl alcohol polyglycol ether acetate, sorbitol esters, lignin-sulfite waste liquors or methylcellulose. Powders, materials for spreading and dusts can be prepared by mixing or grinding the active ingredients together with a solid carrier.
Granules, eg. coated granules, impregnated granules and homogeneous granules, can be prepared by binding the active ingredients to solid carriers. Solid carriers are mineral earths, such as silicas, silica gels, silicates, talc, kaolin, limestone, lime, chalk, bole, loess, clay, dolomite, diatomaceous earth, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, ground synthetic materials, fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate and ammonium nitrate, ureas, and products of vegetable origin, such as cereal meal, tree bark meal, wood meal and nutshell meal, cellulose powders, or other solid carriers.
The concentrations of the active compounds I in the ready-to-use preparations can be varied within wide ranges. In general, the formulations comprise approximately from 0.001 to 98% by weight, preferably 0.01 to 95% by weight of at least one active compound I. The active compounds are employed in a purity of from 90% to 100%, preferably 95% to 100% (according to NMR spectrum).
The formulation examples which follow illustrate the preparation of such products:
I. 20 parts by weight of the compound No. Ia.1 are dissolved in a mixture composed of 80 parts by weight of alkylated benzene, 10 parts by weight of the adduct of 8 to 10 mol of ethylene oxide to 1 mol of oleic acid N-monoethanolamide, 5 parts by weight of calcium dodecylbenzenesulfonate and 5 parts by weight of the adduct of 40 mol of ethylene oxide to 1 mol of castor oil. Pouring the solution into 100,000 parts by weight of water and finely distributing it therein gives an aqueous dispersion which comprises 0.02% by weight of the active ingredient.
II. 20 parts by weight of the compound No. Ia.9 are dissolved in a mixture composed of 40 parts by weight of cyclohexanone, 30 parts by weight of isobutanol, 20 parts by weight of the adduct of 7 mol of ethylene oxide to 1 mol of isooctylphenol and 10 parts by weight of the adduct of 40 mol of ethylene oxide to 1 mol of castor oil. Pouring the solution into 100,000 parts by weight of water and finely distributing it therein gives an aqueous dispersion which comprises 0.02% by weight of the active ingredient.
II. 20 parts by weight of the active ingredient No. Ia.10 are dissolved in a mixture composed of 25 parts by weight of cyclohexanone, 65 parts by weight of a mineral oil fraction of boiling point 210 to 280xc2x0 C. and 10 parts by weight of the adduct of 40 mol of ethylene oxide to 1 mol of castor oil. Pouring the solution into 100,000 parts by weight of water and finely distributing it therein gives an aqueous dispersion which comprises 0.02% by weight of the active ingredient.
V. 20 parts by weight of the active ingredient No. Ia.29 are mixed thoroughly with 3 parts by weight of sodium diisobutylnaphthalene-xcex1-sulfonate, 17 parts by weight of the sodium salt of a lignosulfonic acid from a sulfite waste liquor and 60 parts by weight of pulverulent silica gel, and the mixture is ground in a hammer mill. Finely distributing the mixture in 20,000 parts by weight of water gives a spray mixture which comprises 0.1% by weight of the active ingredient.
V. 3 parts by weight of the active ingredient No. Ia.8 are mixed with 97 parts by weight of finely divided kaolin. This gives a dust which comprises 3% by weight of active ingredient.
VI. 20 parts by weight of the active ingredient No. Ia.10 are mixed intimately with 2 parts by weight of calcium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, 8 parts by weight of fatty alcohol polyglycol ether, 2 parts by weight of the sodium salt of a phenol/urea/formaldehyde condensate and 68 parts by weight of a paraffinic mineral oil. This gives a stable oily dispersion.
VII. 1 part by weight of the compound No. Ia.767 is dissolved in a mixture composed of 70 parts by weight of cyclohexanone, 20 parts by weight of ethoxylated isooctylphenol and 10 parts by weight of ethoxylated castor oil. The mixture can then be diluted with water to the desired concentration of active ingredient. This gives a stable emulsion concentrate.
VIII. 1 part by weight of the compound No. Ib.438 is dissolved in a mixture composed of 80 parts by weight of cyclohexane and 20 parts by weight of Wettol(copyright) EM 31 (=nonionic emulsifier based on ethoxylated castor oil; BASF AG). The mixture can then be diluted with water to the desired concentration of active ingredient. This gives a stable emulsion concentrate.
The active compounds I or the herbicidal compositions can be applied pre- or post-emergence. If the active ingredients are less well tolerated by certain crop plants, application techniques may be used in which the herbicidal compositions are sprayed, with the aid of the spraying equipment, in such a way that they come into as little contact as possible, if any, with the leaves of the sensitive crop plants, while the active ingredients reach the leaves of undesirable plants growing underneath, or the bare soil surface (post-directed, lay-by).
The rates of application of active ingredient I are from 0.001 to 3.0, preferably 0.01 to 1.0, kg/ha of active substance (a.s.), depending on the control target, the season, the target plants and the growth stage.
To widen the spectrum of action and to achieve synergistic effects, the substituted 3-phenylpyrazoles I may be mixed with a large number of representatives of other herbicidal or growth-regulating active ingredient groups and then applied concomitantly. Suitable components for mixtures are, for example, 1,2,4-thiadiazoles, 1,3,4-thiadiazoles, amides, aminophosphoric acid and its derivatives, aminotriazoles, anilides, aryl-/hetaryl-oxyalkanoic acids and their derivatives, benzoic acid and its derivatives, benzothiadiazinones, 2-(hetaroyl/aroyl)-1,3-cyclohexanediones, hetaryl aryl ketones, benzylisoxazolidinones, meta-CF3-phenyl derivatives, carbamates, quinolinecarboxylic acid and its derivates, chloroacetanilides, cyclohexane-1,3-dione derivatives, diazines, dichloropropionic acid and its derivatives, dihydrobenzofurans, dihydrofuran-3-ones, dinitroanilines, dinitrophenols, diphenyl ethers, dipyridyls, halocarboxylic acids and their derivatives, ureas, 3-phenyluracils, imidazoles, imidazolinones, N-pheny1-3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimides, oxadiazoles, oxiranes, phenols, aryloxy- and hetaryloxyphenoxypropionic esters, phenylacetic acid and its derivatives, 2-phenylpropionic acid and its derivatives, pyrazoles, phenylpyrazoles, pyridazines, pyridinecarboxylic acid and its derivatives, pyrimidyl ethers, sulfonamides, sulfonylureas, triazines, triazinones, triazolinones, triazolecarboxamides and uracils.
It may furthermore be advantageous to apply the compounds I, alone or in combination with other herbicides, in the form of a mixture with other crop protection agents, for example together with agents for controlling pests or phytopathogenic fungi or bacteria. Also of interest is the miscibility with mineral salt solutions, which are employed for treating nutritional and trace element deficiencies. Non-phytotoxic oils and oil concentrates may also be added.
The substituted 3-benzylpyrazoles I, their precursors IIa, IIb and IIc, the byproducts III and the physiologically acceptable salts of all these compounds are suitablexe2x80x94both as isomer mixtures and in the form of the pure isomersxe2x80x94as pharmaceutically active compounds, in particular for lowering the blood sugar content.
The compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III can be administered perorally, parenterally or intravenously in free form or in the form of a salt with a physiologically acceptable acid, such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid and oxalic acid.
The dosage depends on the age, condition and weight of the patient and on the type of administration. Generally, the daily dose of active compound is from 0.01 to 25, preferably from 0.1 to 20, in particular from 1 to 10, mg/kg of bodyweight in the case of oral administration and from 0.5 to 5, preferably from 1 to 3, mg/kg of bodyweight in the case of intravenous administration.
The compounds I, IIa, IIb, IIc and III can be used liquid or solid in the customary pharmaceutical administration forms, e.g. as tablets, (film)-coated tablets, capsules, pills, powders, solutions or suspensions, solutions for infusion or injection and also pastes, ointments, gels, creams, lotions, dusts, emulsions and sprays.
They are prepared in a customary manner. The active compounds can in this case be processed with the customary pharmaceutical auxiliaries such as tablet binders, fillers, plasticizers, wetting agents, dispersants, emulsifiers, solvents, release-delaying agents and/or antioxidants (cf. H. Sucker et al., Pharmazeutische Technologie, Thieme Verlag Stuttgart 1978). The administration forms thus obtained normally contain the active compound in an amount from 0.1 to 99% by weight.